Five Best Musical Theatre Dance Numbers

I celebrate the sheer spectacle actors are capable of putting on in a production this week on the Simon Morris blog, by sharing what I believe are the five best musical theatre dance numbers of all time.

Dance, the Physical Expression of Emotion

For the true musical theatre enthusiast, there is no one element that defines the love they share for the medium. The successful show is able to combine consummate acting, thought provoking dialogue, rousing musical tunes and jaw-dropping dance numbers to create a masterpiece.

Dance – the physical expression of emotion – works in musical theatre, because it accentuates and underscores the songs leaving the characters lips, providing us with more clarity into who said characters really are. As such, the medium has become known for the plethora of inspiring dance numbers it has spawned over the years.

These Five Dance Heavy Numbers Stood Head and Shoulders Above the Rest

Some of these numbers stand head and shoulders above their competitors, as true examples of what a production can really do, when it takes full advantage of its ability to incorporate the art of dance. The following five mastered the craft…

1)      Cellblock Tango: The people who created Chicago picked the perfect name for this number. A tango is a daring dance which takes you to the edge, which is where these merry murderesses are, as they chronicle their stories of how they came to the cellblock. As such, the song’s infamous tango routines are not only spellbinding to watch, but fit seamlessly into the narrative.

2)      Buenos Aires:  When you’re a young girl moving to the Big City, you’re full of life and energy; something conveyed by the high-energy, frenetic dance routines of Evita’s ‘Buenos Aires.’ As Eva glides across the floor with a number of men, the dance underscores the words, to help the audience really understand just what this girl has planned for her time in the Big Apple.

3)      Electricity: A show that centred on one boy’s dream of becoming a professional dancer, it makes sense that a number from Billy Elliot would make this list. The number I have chosen is ‘Electricity,’ and I have chosen it, because that’s exactly what it is. When Billy lets go and shows us what he do, with a number of intricate, awe inspiring dance moves, it really is electric.

4)      Time Warp: The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a musical dedicated to exploring the weirder side of life, and nothing quite expresses this like the infamously wacky dance routine in the show’s signature hit, ‘Time Warp.’ Honestly, it’s infectious, and often has people standing up in their seats to match the actions of the actors on stage, as they bust out the ‘Time Warp!’

5)      One: This number typifies the genre. From the show A Chorus Line, a musical about the public and private lives of dancers, ‘One’ is the ultimate stage dance number. With a group of dancers, all identically dressed in gold costumes, performing the same steps in sync with pin point precision (including a never ending stream of hard-to-execute shoulder high chorus line kicks) ‘One’ is a masterpiece.

So Many to Choose From

The great thing about this is, that I honestly had to narrow down the list from a lot, to five. I had to neglect other dance numbers I love, such as ‘Anything Goes,’ ‘Hard Knock Life’ and ‘Santa Fe.’ There’s just so many to choose from, showing just what the musical theatre genre is capable of, when it chooses to incorporate the art of dance!